GE sold on Africa to boost local sales

Eric Anderso, Times Union

By Eric Anderson

Published 11:39 pm, Monday, August 4, 2014

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 04: President of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama (L) and Jay Ireland, President and CEO of GE Africa, participate in a discussion about expanding access to power sources across Africa, at the Newseum, August 4, 2014 in Washington, DC. This week leaders from across the African continent are visiting Washington for a three day U.S-Africa Leaders Summit to build strength between the United States and Africa. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 505140143

The 12 steam turbines that General Electric Co. is producing in Schenectady for Algeria's state-owned utility could be just the start of a long relationship with Africa.

On Monday, GE announced it will invest $2 billion in Africa by 2018, on facility development, training and sustainability efforts.

GE said the continent has emerged as its "most promising growth region," with $8.3 billion in new orders in the past year.

So far, the steam turbine order is the largest contract for GE's local operations, said Shaun Wiggins, general manager of public relations for Schenectady-based GE Power & Water.

"Africa's a huge growth market for us," Wiggins said. "They need energy. We've got the products and the services" to provide that energy, he said.

GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt was in Washington, D.C., Monday morning in advance of President Barack Obama's U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. GE hosted African leaders and government officials, entrepreneurs, business leaders and nongovernmental organizations at a conference on the continent's infrastructure and other needs.